When I woke up, the world was quiet — too quiet for a gaming dorm, too polished for a hospital.
Soft silk sheets brushed against my skin, whispering luxury. A panoramic window stretched across the wall, the skyline beyond glittering like pixels under moonlight.
A penthouse.
Minimalist. Futuristic. Mine.
The hum of technology pulsed faintly through the floor — the same rhythm as the servers my company had once powered.
No.
Not my company.
Her company.
I sat up, and the digital assistant embedded in the mirror flickered to life.
> "Good morning, Miss Qin," it said smoothly. "You have thirty minutes until the Lyra Technologies board meeting. Would you like me to prepare your schedule?"
My throat went dry.
"Lyra Technologies," I repeated softly.
The mirror displayed a holographic interface — headlines scrolling like data feeds.
QIN RUO, 24 — Acting CEO of Lyra Technologies following her father's retirement.
Net worth: Undisclosed.
Known for: cold efficiency, unmatched tactical vision, rumored obsession with gaming AI.
So that was me here.
Rich, ruthless, and already feared.
I let out a quiet laugh. "Seems I've been upgraded."
The assistant blinked.
> "Would you like me to prepare your meeting attire, Miss Qin?"
"Yes. And pull up the latest pro-league standings."
---
Minutes later, I stood before the full-length mirror, fastening the cuffs of a charcoal-gray blazer. The fabric was light, but the fit was perfect — tailored power.
My reflection looked untouchable. Controlled. But the fire in my eyes? That was still me.
On the screen beside me, the standings appeared:
1️⃣ ZGDX — undefeated.
2️⃣ TAT
3️⃣ FLARE
…
12️⃣ — [OPEN SLOT — unregistered new team]
A blank spot. A challenge.
The corner of my mouth lifted.
Perfect.
> Assistant: "Would you like to name the unregistered slot, Miss Qin?"
"Yes," I said softly. "ECLIPSE."
The word glowed gold across the screen — like an omen.
> Team ECLIPSE — Registration pending.
---
The meeting downstairs was uneventful — rows of men in suits, their words blurring into background noise. They bowed slightly when I entered, their eyes careful.
I was their boss, but also their enigma — a young woman who inherited a billion-dollar tech empire and turned it into the core of the gaming world.
But they didn't know the truth.
That behind the boardrooms and numbers, I'd once been just a gamer — a strategist, living on instant noodles and caffeine.
Now, I had everything I'd ever wanted — and more power than I'd ever trusted myself with.
"Miss Qin," one of the board members said, cautious. "You requested funding for a new e-sports division?"
"Yes," I said smoothly. "A fully independent team. Privately owned. We'll call it ECLIPSE."
"Will it compete in the same league as ZGDX?"
I met his gaze.
"That's the point."
---
That night, I returned to my gaming suite — a sanctuary of glass and neon.
The world outside was asleep. Inside, my screens lit up one by one.
An unread message flashed on my game client:
> Lao K: You disappeared after the match.
Nyx: I had… business.
Lao K: You play like someone who's seen everything before.
Nyx: Maybe I have.
Lao K: You planning to queue again?
Nyx: Not tonight. I'm building something bigger.
Lao K: A team?
Nyx: A dynasty.
I closed the chat and leaned back, the glow of the monitors painting light across my face.
Money. Skill. Power.
Most people spent their lives trying to earn one of them.
I had all three — and I intended to use them.
Not for fame.
Not for approval.
For control.
The kind that came from winning — in every world.
And somewhere across the city, I imagined Lao K looking at that same chat window, a faint, puzzled smile tugging at his lips.
He didn't know it yet.
But this was how it began — the rivalry, the spark, the storm.
ECLIPSE was coming.
And I was going to burn the leaderboard until only one name remained.
Mine.
---
✨ End of Chapter 2: "The Heiress of Lyra"